Storm Katie causes Easter travel chaos in UK

Winds gusting to 105 miles (170 kilometres) an hour on Easter Monday forced the cancellation of over a hundred flights in and out of Britain and left around 2,000 homes without power.

"Storm Katie" left a trail of disruption in its wake as it swept across southern England overnight, leaving debris and roadwork barriers strewn across London's streets early Monday.

Heathrow, one of the world's busiest airports, reported around 130 cancellations with other flights delayed or and diverted to other airports.

Some 20 flights in and out of London's Gatwick Airport were cancelled and another four diverted.

The Met Office national weather service issued an amber warning for winds for London and southeast England, advising people to be "prepared for disruption to outdoor activities and travel".

The service recorded gusts of 105 mph off the southern England coast, with winds of over 70 mph registered across the south.

A bridge crossing the River Thames in southeast England and the Severn Bridge which connects England and Wales were also closed, according to Highways England.

UK Power Networks said they were dealing with problems across Sussex, Surrey and Kent in southern England, leaving at least 2,000 households without electricity.

"It is particularly southern parts of England bearing the brunt of Storm Katie but also into parts of East Anglia as well, with these potentially damaging and disruptive gusts of wind of 60 to 70 mph -- but possibly more in the most exposed areas," said BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller.

"It won't be until Easter Monday afternoon that things gradually improve across parts of eastern England."